The Ghostly Passenger
by OldAsDirt
Summary: In 1890 Sookie Stackhouse meets a Ghostly stranger enroute to America.  Will she accept his true nature? Started at a one shot and am now posting the Epilogue.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I originally posted this story as a one shot for the Weekly One Shot Challenge.**

**I would check it once in awhile and it would be there and then the next time I checked it would say Story Not Found. I am still new to FF, so I thought I would just repost it as a chapter story and not make it too long. I got a few good reviews, but not many readers. If you like it I will continue, if not I'll just make it a couple of chapters. I am posting chapter one today and then I am in the process of restructuring the next portion to make it in chapter form. For those of you (thank you) who chose to read it as a one shot, the second chapter will be similar but longer. Thank you all once again for reading and reviewing.**

**Charlaine Harris is the creator of Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman, the god of all men.**

If my life would have gone the way it was intended, my parents would still be alive and I would be entertaining wealthy suitors in hopes of a marriage proposal. Instead my father had chosen to gamble away our fortune leaving our family penniless. He also chose to take his life one evening and couldn't bear to leave without taking our mother with him. He did, however, have the decency to leave a note for my brother and me:

_My beloved children,_

"_I am truly sorry for what I have done. My life is over and I am ending it today. Your mother, my beloved wife has chosen to join me in death, if I agreed to spare you both. James and Susanna, you are to go and live with your grandmother in Liverpool and forget about the sorrow I caused you. I am just thankful that I was able to give you both a proper education, so that you may make something of yourselves. I love you, but I gambled away your future and the life we once knew. I only hope you both will find it in your hearts to forgive me. I cannot stay in this life if it means I would have to live it as a pauper. Your grandmother is a good woman and will provide for you." _

_Forgive me,_

_Your loving father_

Our grandmother was a working class woman and survived quite well on her earnings as a seamstress. My father also sent her money on a monthly basis to ensure she would never go hungry. She had saved all of what he sent and half of her earnings, so she had enough to support the three of us. We never went hungry and we always had nice clean clothes. Gran kept busy making beautiful gowns for the very wealthy and always made me beautiful dresses out of the left over material. Even though I was no longer considered a woman of class and position, I surely dressed the part. My father did us a favor by sending us to live with Gran because I don't think I could have lived with him as a pauper either. At least with Gran we had a life.

The class divisions were always quite evident in England in the 1890's and even a young, educated woman such as myself could get nowhere without family money. Even though I had the proper clothing, I did not have the class or family money to get invited to parties or formal balls. Meeting a rich, young suitor was out of the question. I had read that in America everyone was equal. I was considered a nice looking woman and I turned a few heads as I walked down the streets of Liverpool, so America was my only hope for a future.

If I had gone by myself, I could have sailed with the upper class. Gran, however, would not allow me to go alone, so James came with me. I, actually, was relieved that I would not have to make the long voyage by myself. Gran had heard horror stories about steerage, so she made sure we each had our own trunks packed with fine clothing and canned food, so we wouldn't go hungry. We both had jobs waiting for us in a wealthy family home when we arrived in America. My Aunt Linda moved to America 10 years ago and has been working at the home of the De Castro's as a maid. Since I had a proper education, I was perfect for the job as nanny to their two young children. James was quite good with animals, so he would be working in the stables. Everything seemed to be falling into place.

Actually accommodations on the ship were not as bad as I had heard. We were in 3rd class which meant we had a two berth stateroom. It was actually a narrow room with a lower and upper set of bunks. There was a very small sink and room for our trunks under the lower bunk. It was comfortable enough and private. In the past steerage meant being crowded into the under deck compartments near the rudder – a region without light or ventilation. Hundreds of immigrants were crowded together, sleeping on the floor and cooking their own food in small two by five foot galleys. Our food was prepared for us in the 3rd class eating saloons. Third class even had its own Promenade deck, giving us all a chance to spend time outside and experience the sea air. That part was very enjoyable.

James and I stayed together most of the time, but one evening I just needed some fresh air. James said he wanted to sleep and he was feeling a little seasick, so I put on one of my more comfortable dresses. I didn't feel like wearing a corset or putting my hair up in some elaborate style, so I let it hang down and pulled the sides up tied in the back with a matching ribbon. I actually looked like a school girl instead of a 25 year old spinster. I knew there were no suitors on this ship, none in 3rd class anyway, so I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I just wanted to see the moon and the stars and breathe the fresh sea air. The deck was empty this particular evening, which I thought was strange. Perhaps the other passengers were a little seasick too. I didn't care, it gave me some much needed alone time to think about my future in America. That's when I saw him. He was leaning against the rail looking down at the sea dressed in a very elegant suit. It reminded me of the elegant clothing my father used to wear when he would go out for the evening. Maybe this gentleman was slumming it and wanted to see how we poor people traveled. Before I could reach him to start up a conversation, he started to climb the rail and leapt forward and jumped down to the cold, dark sea below. Before he jumped I cried out "Stop, please don't do it!" He turned his head to look at me as he jumped overboard. It was strange, but I never heard a splash. I ran to the railing where he jumped, but saw nothing. I tried to find someone to tell about the man, but everyone was either asleep or did not wish to listen to the ranting of a frightened woman. The next day I asked if any passengers were reported missing and told one of the crewmen about what I saw. He said that my eyes were probably playing tricks on me and to forget what I saw.

The next night I did the same thing. Once again James stayed behind and the deck was once again empty. I chose a white dress with a fitted bodice with ruching at the neckline and fitted ruched sleeves with a ruffled cap at the shoulders. It was not formal but it hugged my curves in all the right places, while presenting myself as a lady. I didn't have the money to go to first class and have my hair done by a professional, but there was water available to us once a week to bathe and wash our hair. It had been my turn to bath this week and my hair was very clean, so I chose to wear it down again. My hair is golden blond and hangs down in natural curls at my waist. There are usually ringlets hanging around my face so I put a white ribbon in my hair to hold them back. We did not have laundry services available to us in 3rd class, so I only wore each dress in the evening and then put them back into my trunk. The trip was scheduled to last about ten weeks, so I needed to take care not to soil my dresses. I had a couple of very plain cotton dresses to wear during the day that could be washed by hand and hung out to dry and of course I brought along seven night dresses, one for each night.

I walked toward the rail where I saw him and there he was again. This time I looked at him, really looked at him. He was very tall, about 6'4' and had shoulder length blond hair. He had the same suit on as the night before, but this time he did not jump. He just turned and stared at me. We both said nothing, but continued to stare at each other.

Finally I asked, "Are you a ghost?"

"Do you want me to be?" he asked in the softest, sexiest voice I had ever heard.

As I looked at him, my heart began to race, because he was very, very handsome. "What is an apparently wealthy, handsome man doing down here and once again attempting to jump over the rail?" I thought to myself.

"Actually I just want you to be a man and come and sit and talk to me." I boldly stated.

He acted like I had asked him to go to the fair with him, because he smiled the most beautiful smile and said, "If that is what you wish." And he motioned for me to sit down at one of the nearby benches. He waited for me to sit and then he sat in a bench across from me. If he was a ghost, his form seemed to be very solid. I wanted to put my hand out and touch him, but I was afraid he would jump again, so I just began by asking him why he jumped last night.

"Oh, I jump every night while I am on this voyage. Since you believe me to be a ghost, why are you not afraid of me?" he asked and smirked at me.

"I don't scare easily. My father committed suicide and brought my mother with him. The night he shot her and himself, they both appeared to me in my bedroom. They told me they loved me and asked me to forgive them. I did and told them I loved them too. I didn't know they were ghosts until I woke up the next day and found their bodies in my father's study. So Mr. . . . .what is your name? You see I don't scare easily." Sookie boldly answered him.

"I can't tell you my full name, but you may call me Eric. And what may I call you?" the ghost asked.

"My name is Susanna Stackhouse, but you can call me Sookie. May I shake your hand, or will you disappear when I touch you?" Sookie asked the handsome ghost.

"Try it and see what happens. I may surprise you." Eric teased.

Sookie held out her hand to touch Eric's outstretched hand. She not only felt his cool skin, she felt a surge of power run through her arm. "Eric, did you feel that?" Sookie pulled her hand back and giggled.

"Indeed I did little one. You are a breath of fresh air. I have been around for many, many years and you are the first human that I have chosen to_ just_ talk to. You are also the first that I have allowed to _just_ touch me." Eric explained.

"Well, I am truly honored. Just curious, but how long have you been around?" Sookie remembered what Eric had said before about being around for many years.

"I have been around for a thousand years. Does that bother you?" Eric stared deeply into Sookie's eyes looking for fear.

"No not really, but this ship has not been around that long, so where were you a ghost before? Are you really a ghost?" Sookie was actually curious. She had never met anyone so handsome and so interesting. Even if he was a ghost, he was being nice to her and attention was something that she had been missing these last few years since her parents' deaths.

"I am telling you that I am a ghost because that is what you are comfortable with. I am very attracted to you and want to see more of you during our voyage. Will you meet me here in the evenings . . . just to talk?" Eric asked.

"Yes, Eric I would like that very much. Is this deck usually so lonely in the late evenings?" Sookie asked.

"For some reason, you are the only passenger that I have encountered." Eric smirked.

"Eric, did you scare them away?" Sookie teased.

"I may have, but I'm glad you stayed. This voyage will be much more enjoyable with you to talk to." Eric smiled.

"Same here. I have my brother, but he always seems to find a young woman to woo. He spends some days with me, but I rarely see him. We have never been able to talk to each other; maybe we just don't really have anything to talk about." Sookie shyly smiled at Eric.

"Well you probably need to catch up on your sleep, so I bid you adieu." Eric got up from the bench and took Sookie's hand and gave it a soft, slow kiss. He turned and headed to the rail, climbed up and turned to wave at Sookie and jumped.

Sookie ran to the rail to look and still no splash and no body. "I must be crazy, but I really enjoy that ghost's company. I can't wait until tomorrow evening."

ooOooOooOoo

For the next nine weeks Sookie and the ghost known as Eric met on the Promenade deck and every night they got to know each other. Eric told Sookie about all the wonderful things he had witnessed during his travels. She told him all about her past before her parents died and about her hopes and dreams in America. She wished he wasn't a ghost and one night close to the end of their voyage, she broke down and cried. "Eric you have become my best friend and the funny thing about that is I truly believe you to be a ghost. I don't know what I am going to do when I get to my destination without you. I want you to know that even though you are a ghost, I love you with all my heart." Sookie continued to weep.

Eric knelt down in front of Sookie and lifted her head so that they were eye to eye. He began by saying, "Please don't cry little one, and I also care very deeply for you. I have not felt this way since I was human and shared a home with my wife and children." He leaned toward Sookie and licked her tears away. Her tears were both salty and sweet at the same time. He had grown so close to her these past weeks that he couldn't help himself. He licked her tears until they were gone and he looked deeply into her eyes asking permission. She smiled at him and that was all he needed to continue. His mouth began softly at first kissing her cheeks and then he found her lips. He licked her top lip and then swirled his tongue down to her bottom lip. She opened her mouth slowly inviting him to go further. This was so right for him. Humans were only a meal to him and this young, beautiful woman had not even fed him and he was completely hers. She loved him all the while believing him to be a ghost. Hopefully he can show her his true nature and she will accept him. If she doesn't he will leave her be and allow her to live her new life in America.

"Eric. . . .I have never kissed a man before. It is truly a glorious experience." She gasped as he pulled away from her to see if she was still agreeable.

"I can make you feel even better, my love, if you will allow me?" Eric begged with his eyes. He wanted her badly. He had never had feelings for a human since his transformation, but this one was different. This one made him feel like a man again and not a monster.

"Yes, I would like that. If I am never to see you again, I would like the memory of our time together etched in my mind. I don't want to forget you." Sookie was still very sad.

Eric stood offering Sookie a hand to help her to stand. "Trust me?" he asked.

She nodded and he picked her up bridal style. "Close your eyes and I will take you somewhere where we can be alone. I will have you back here before the sun rises." She did as she was told and before she knew it the wind was whipping her face and she smelled the sea below. She felt as if they were flying. She wanted to open her eyes to see, but she didn't want to go against what Eric had asked of her. About a minute later she felt them land on deck of the ship. "You may open your eyes. I pray I did not scare you." Eric was concerned for Sookie's feelings toward him.

She looked around and they appeared to be on the top level of the ship in front of a stateroom door. Eric opened the door and carried her into the most beautiful suite she had ever laid her eyes on.

He turned her around and began to unbutton her dress.

Sookie smiled and coyly asked, "What are you doing?"

"I am stripping you naked and going to make love to you. I too want the memory of you forever in my mind and soul." Eric was bold in his statement and prayed Sookie would not wish to leave.

"That is if you will allow me?" Eric was so unsure of her; he had never been so vulnerable emotionally with a human. He would always just take a woman without getting to know her. He would feed from her and get relief and then leave the woman to remember nothing. He did not want to get found out. With Sookie he wanted to pleasure her and make her scream his name. He wanted to keep her by his side day and night and never let her go. He wished he were human at that moment, because he feared his true nature would chase her away and his dead heart would be broken. If she accepted making love to a ghost, she surely would accept a vampire.

"I need to be honest with you about my true nature before I make love to you." Eric spoke softly between kisses.

He let her breathe and she said, "I thought you were honest with me and I don't care what you are."

"Not entirely my love. I am not a ghost. In fact, most of the ghosts I have encountered were wispy puffs of air and not really touchable. I did not want to frighten you away and hoped you would grow to trust me." Eric began.

"Go on Eric, whatever you have to say will not change my love for you. You could be the Devil himself and I fear I would follow you straight to Hell." Sookie's words gave him hope that she would indeed accept his true nature, but he still couldn't be sure.

He pulled himself away from her allowing just enough space so she could see his face. He stared deeply into her eyes and his fangs dropped down for her to see. He looked to see fear in her eyes, but saw none. Instead she gasped a little just from the surprise of his action, but she continued by taking her finger and touching one of his fangs. It was razor sharp and drew blood instantly. He grabbed her hand and drew her finger deeply into his mouth and began sucking the blood that was slowly seeping out. Her blood tasted amazing. He had never tasted blood this sweet and addictive. Had he not been so old, just these few drops may have caused a different reaction. Instead his age allowed him to just suck and enjoy her.

"I wasn't sure that your kind really existed. I have only read fantasy books about them, but some depict vampires as cruel and evil murderers. I know you are not, or you would have killed me that first night. What does my blood do to you?" Sookie shocked Eric not only by being familiar with his kind, but showing no fear.

He slowly moved her finger in and out of his mouth sucking all the blood until it stopped flowing. "Your blood is beyond anything in my memory. It is so good that I fear if I were a younger vampire, I would drain you and kill myself afterwards at your loss. You amaze me not only by the taste of your blood but the way you accept me for what I am. You show no fear and I promise you that I will never harm you. I only wish to pleasure you and in the process receive pleasure back. I know from your smell that you are innocent and untouched. I ask you now if you wish for me to be your first?" Eric was afraid that she would not want him.

"I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm afraid that after being with you, no other man will be able to take your place. Do your worst, vampire!" Sookie wiggled her eyebrows and once again surprised him.

Wasting no more time, Eric continued to remove her dress. Her undergarments were not a problem for him, because she once again did not wear a corset. She only had on a camisole and a vest with pantaloons below covering her innocence. The pantaloons were the last garment that he removed and he stood back to admire the beauty of her body. Everything about Sookie was perfection. Her face was that of an angel with a twinkle of the devil in her eyes. Her hair was long and wavy and reminded Eric of the Goddess Freya from his Viking days. Her breasts were very large and full. Her waist curved in as her hips rounded out. She had long, muscular legs which was very rare for that time. Most women who had money and position were flabby and overweight from indulging in food. Not Sookie, she looked like a warrior princess. She once again surprised him by showing no fear and not a shred of embarrassment. She was comfortable in her nakedness and reached for Eric's suit jacket helping him remove it. She began to unbutton his shirt, but he grabbed both of her hands and said, "I cannot wait any longer, nine weeks of foreplay is long enough for me." He was naked before she could blink. She once again gasped at his speed and licked her lips at his nakedness. He was the most beautiful man, vampire, ghost, whatever he wished to be called, that she had seen. Granted she had never seen a naked man, but she saw many statues in the museums that she frequented as a teenager while she lived in London. She touched his broad, muscular chest slowly rubbing lower toward his hard stomach. She couldn't keep her eyes off of his manhood. She had read about how men and women make love, but this beautiful cock was huge. "Would it fit, would it hurt? Damn these thoughts, I want this more than anything!" She lowered her fingers down to the object of her imagination and grabbed it moving her fingers stroking him, feeling the silky coolness of his skin. He growled at her and once again stopped her from what she was doing. He wanted to pleasure her and help her to relax before he buried himself deep inside her, before he allowed himself to taste her deeply.

"I want to taste you, lover." She bent her neck to the side assuming he meant her blood. Instead he bent down and parted her legs as she stood looking down at him. Once again he looked to her for approval and she grabbed his hair fisting it in her hands wondering what he was going to do. He slowly licked her nub and felt it harden at his touch. He then lapped up the wetness that pooled between her legs. "You are so wet and it tastes so sweet." Eric whispered. He continued licking her folds until he finally inserted his finger. Once again she had never had an object inside of her. His finger was long and he knew just how to move it in and out driving her mad. His tongue kept swirling around her clit softly, but as he added another finger he used his tongue to push then lick as he inserted his two fingers in and out. He stopped and curled his index finger towards her navel and hit something that drove her crazy. She held her breath as something inside was building. It was weird; she compared it to the build up of a sneeze, but in her lower region. It kept building and building until she felt her whole body tense up and then release. She felt Eric's finger and the soft skin around it started throbbing. He knew what to do because he kept pushing and wiggling his finger hitting the spot as she throbbed inside. He pushed and licked her clit with his tongue as the throbbing continued. She fisted his hair so hard fearing she would injure him, but needed something to hold onto as she almost felt like passing out.

"I have you, let go." he whispered.

She did and she fell limp in his embrace. He laid her on the soft bed and took his finger and bit it. He once again inserted it into her folds and swirled it around. It was so soothing and cool that she felt energized. He pulled his finger out and knelt over her. "Are you ready for me lover? I have been patient all this time wanting more than anything to be inside of you, to feel your soft, tight walls embrace me." Eric once again kissed her deeply and placed his tip at her entrance. Just the feel of his tip there sent chills throughout her entire body. Eric slowly pushed into her as she cried out. "Eric. . .It hurts, but please keep going, I want you inside of me. . .push harder."

He pushed until he hit her hymen. He pulled out all the way. Sookie opened her eyes and seemed to question the loss, but he wasn't out of her but a second as he pushed harder this time. He broke through and pushed until he was completely inside of her. He was so much larger than most women and they could not take all of him. This sweet virgin under him took all that he had and arched her back begging for more. "Eric it feels so good, we are made for each other. I love you. You don't have to love me; I just want you to always know how I feel after we part. Now push, I need more and hard." He did as he was told and before long she felt that pressure again. "Eric, I am feeling that pressure again what is it?" And he found her clit with his thumb as he thrust into her one last time. His fangs grabbed her right breast just as they both came and he sucked her warm, sweet blood. "That my lover is called a climax. I climax, you climax, and we come together."

"I am truly addicted to this woman. I can't keep her though; she will never accept my life. This will be our last night and then I will glamour her to forget me. It saddens me because I am certain that I love her too." Eric thought to himself.

"Lover I have a beautiful bathtub in the other room. Will you bathe with me before I have to take you back?" Eric pleaded.

"Of course my love. I have missed the pleasures that money can buy. Whose room is this? Did you sneak in while the occupants were gone?" Sookie teased.

"Something like that. No more questions, just relax and enjoy our time together."

After the bath, Sookie was ready to pass out. Eric asked her to look at him and sadly glamoured her. "You will not remember me or what I am. You enjoyed your voyage with your brother and look forward to your life in America." Eric kissed her deeply and returned her to her room. Her brother wasn't there so he was not detected. He jumped from the rail and took flight. The ship was just a few hours from the harbor, so he would fly to his home in New York and continue his lonely life. He had his child, Pamela, but the humans that surrounded him were only there to help him in his business endeavors and to feed from.

He landed on his veranda 45 minutes later. He flies very fast, but has to take a steamship when he goes to Europe for meetings. He has business meetings and vampire meetings alike. This particular trip Eric had a meeting with the Vampire King of England. His child, Pam had been a resident of London when she was made vampire. Her parents had passed on many years ago and she wished to acquire her family estate. It was going up for auction and Eric needed to go through the Vampire King of England to arrange the acquisition. It would have been impossible for Eric to do it on his own but the King would be able to take care of all of the paperwork without the humans suspecting anything out of the ordinary. Everything went well and the property was put in Eric's name with Pam being co-owner.

Eric was on his way back to the United States. He usually got the most expensive stateroom and slept during the day. He would roam the decks at night in search of a meal and perhaps a sexual rendezvous. When he searched the 3rd class Promenade deck one evening he found nothing tasty. Just as he was about to jump off the boat and fly to the upper deck, he heard her. "Stop, please don't do it!" He heard. He turned and saw the most beautiful human. It wasn't the beauty that caught his attention, it was the fact that she cared about his safety. "She intrigues me, I will return tomorrow night and see if she comes again." Eric thought to himself.

ooOooOooOoo

The ship finally docked in the New York harbor. We had heard that there was a place called Ellis Island that will be opening to process immigrants. Since it wasn't open yet we were actually processed by the state of New York at a place called Castle Garden, a previous fort built for the War of 1812 and it was located in Battery Park, New York. The whole process took about three hours after disembarking the ship. Both James and I were very healthy and passed all the tests. Mr. De Castro sent a carriage to pick us up and I got my first look at New York City.

The streets were definitely not paved in gold. More like garbage and horse poop. The traffic was so bad with horse carriages, horse drawn street cars, and electric street cars. There was a policeman at each cross street, but the traffic still got backed up. The air was no different than the air in Liverpool. Mr. De Castro worked for the Standard Oil refinery as an Executive. The oil refinery added the horrible smoke in the air. I prayed the house that we were in route to was further away from this city. It was miserable. I felt bad enough because I missed Eric, but now I must endure a life that wasn't what I had dreamed of. I feared that I would never be as happy as I was on that ship and was not in the right frame of mind to start my new life in America.

**A/N: That's the first chapter. Restructuring the second chapter now will post either today or tomorrow. Let me know what you think. I need to get back to My Beloved and Forever Young before I go on vacation, so thank you once again for reading.**

"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is chapter two. I have added to the original, so if you read it before (excuse some of the spelling errors) you may want to read it again. Thanks for reading.**

**Chapter 2:**

Three months had passed since her voyage and Sookie became more and more depressed every day. When she was originally introduced to the two De Castro children they were both very quiet around their mother. When Mrs. De Castro left them alone the daughter, Jessica, turned to Sookie and told her she was not going to do what she said and that Sookie was beneath her. "You are nothing but a servant and you will do as we say." Jessica told her. The boy, Robert, was no better. He was 12 years old and acted like Sookie was his personal concubine. She had not yet met Mr. De Castro, but if this boy was anything like him she had her job cut out for her.

Mrs. De Castro was very cold and quiet toward Sookie. She told her outright that she had not expected her to be so pretty and that her husband was never to be alone with her. She told her that she _must _wear a maid's uniform around the house. Sookie still looked good in the uniform, which further enraged her mistress. Sookie could not understand the way this family was treating her. James did not complain, in fact Mrs. De Castro was overly friendly toward him. She made it a point to go to the stables daily just so she could flirt with him. James was somewhat of a manwhore so her attention was welcomed

She finally met Mr. De Castro in the hallway one morning when he was on his way to work, Sookie had just woke up the children to get them ready for school. She introduced herself as the new nanny and held out her hand in greeting. He just glared at her and looked her up and down. He stopped at her large breasts and licked his lips. "A pleasure to meet you Miss Stackhouse. We are going to be very _close!"_ He once again licked his lips and excused himself. For the next three months she tried to avoid him, but he was relentless in his pursuit of her. Mrs. De Castro became more and more enraged over her husband's actions and took it out on Sookie.

The Standard Oil Company held its' monthly Board Meetings at the Fifth Avenue Hotel because it was so elegant. They were always held at night because one very important investor and board member could only come at night. Also, they all usually became so inebriated that the opulent hotel rooms were convenient for them to sleep off their drunkenness. This particular board meeting had been a very important one because their largest investor had been absent the past five months and they were anxious to vote on the new agenda since his return. After the meeting they all gathered in the bar and commenced to get very tipsy.

This evening Mr. De Castro drank quite heavily and started spilling his private life to his fellow drinkers. He began to speak of his new nanny and how he wished to bed her. He went on to say she had tried to avoid him, but that just made him more and more interested in pursuing her. He told how his wife and children treated her badly and all he wanted to do was fuck her. He asked his colleagues if they had any ideas for him to seduce her. One of the board members asked what the young woman's name was and he answered that is was Susanna Stackhouse. "She comes from old money, but her asshole of a father lost it all and killed himself. We hired her from England as a favor to our maid. I wanted to fuck her the first day I laid eyes on her, but she was not having it. In fact she seems suicidal herself. It must run in the family. . ha, ha, ha." The other board member got up from his seat and excused himself. He headed out of the hotel and called for his carriage. He told his carriage driver to head home and he would be along shortly.

"How could I have thought I could live without her? She is in trouble and I need to protect her. I must take her as my own and she will learn to trust me. After leaving her and wiping her memory, I thought she would have the life she wanted. I assumed wrong and now I must make it right." Eric Northman thought to himself. He walked around the corner, ducked into a deserted ally and took to the air.

ooOooOooOoo

The next morning a horse drawn carriage pulled up to the De Castro mansion. An elegant gentleman got out and knocked at the door. He said that Mr. Northman of Northman Investments, requested an audience with Miss Susanna Stackhouse. Mrs. De Castro was livid. "How on earth can some poor tart such as my servant, be invited to speak with Mr. Northman?" She questioned." "No one speaks with him. He is not only elusive, but the most handsome bachelor in New York City. Perhaps Mr. Northman wishes to hire her. I will gladly let her go; she is a thorn in my side." Mrs. De Castro ranted on.

"Very well, Mrs. De Castro. Please have her sent down and ready to depart around 12:30 p.m. If you wish to let her go, have her trunk packed and we will transport it to Mr. Northman's residence. Thank you." The elegant man spoke with power.

At 12:30 p.m. sharp the carriage once again parked in front of the De Castro mansion. The elegant man once again knocked at the door, but this time Sookie answered the door. She had been crying, but tried to look strong as the man had two servants carry her trunk and put it into the cargo portion of the carriage. He escorted her silently to the carriage and helped her inside. They headed off through the streets of Manhattan. To Sookie's surprise the gentleman escorted her to the Long Island Railroad where she found out her destination was the East Hamptons. Another carriage was waiting for her when she arrived and after her trunk was retrieved, she was on her way to her new home.

"What on earth had happened?" Sookie thought to herself, as tears began to fall. She was alone in the carriage, so she allowed herself time to once again question what was going on. This morning her mistress told her to pack all of her belongings and she would be going to work for another man. Sookie was completely surprised by this statement.

"_What? Mistress I am sorry, but why on earth would I be going to work for a complete stranger? Do you not need me here for the children?" Sookie asked._

"_A very wealthy gentleman has requested your presence this evening. The children do not like you and I fear that my husband prefers you to me. It will not be long until he takes you to his bed and if that happens, I will kill you both!" Mrs. De Castro spat at Sookie._

"_Mistress, I would never do that and I like it here. I am sorry for anything I might have done to anger you, but please don't make me go to a stranger. I know nothing about him and I am not a slave or prostitute to be traded around from house to house!" this time Sookie was enraged._

"_No you are not, and I am probably seeing more into my husband's attraction to you than there really is, but you must go. Mr. Northman is a very wealthy investor in my husband's company and when he asks that something be done, it happens. For some reason he has asked for you, so that is final. For what it is worth, the children do like you but I need an older, more mature looking woman in my house. You are much too beautiful and I am not comfortable with you around my husband. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I fear I am losing him and I don't want any temptations in my home. Don't worry, you will be happy there, he is very wealthy and you will be well paidl." Mrs. DeCastro calmed down and apologized to Sookie._

"_If this is what you wish, I guess I will have to comply." Sookie hung her head as she wiped her tears away. _

_There was a knock at the door and Sookie said her good-byes to the children and asked that James be told of her whereabouts. She answered the door and was off to meet her new employer._

When the carriage arrived it was almost dark. She feared that she would not be able to get a good look at her surroundings this evening, but hoped that her new employer was kind and allowed her the freedom to roam the palatial estate tomorrow. From what she could see it was a huge mansion and it was surrounded by well kept gardens and the most beautiful trees. She had been in the city these last three months and the air was so black and stuffy she feared for her health. She had been depressed and actually wanted to die. She did not know where these feelings were coming from but she just knew that she missed her best friend, who apparently wasn't real, so she feared she was suffering from some form of mental disability. She did not want to speak of her liaison with a ghost, or a figment of her imagination, for fear she would be locked up in an insane asylum. She would keep her sadness to herself and go on from this day forward. Her new employer would not know of her problems.

Sookie was escorted into the home by the gentleman who finally introduced himself to her as Robert Burnham. He bowed and said that the mistress of the house would be joining her shortly. Only a minute had passed from Mr. Burnham's departure when a very beautiful young woman entered from a set of double doors. She bowed to Sookie and introduced herself as Pamela.

"Very glad to meet you, Pamela. Are you Mr. Northman's wife?" Sookie bowed as she asked. At least this wife was beautiful and perhaps they would not have any jealousy issues.

"Oh heavens no! Mr. Northman is a bachelor and I am. . . .a business partner." Pam tried to figure out how she could explain her relationship to Mr. Northman without telling a falsehood.

"Oh, good to know. So, Pamela, please excuse me for being so bold, but why am I here? I do not know Mr. Northman and I can't imagine how he knows of me. I have only been in America for three months and have not met a single soul outside of my previous employer." Sookie asked.

"Don't worry, Miss Stackhouse, you will find out soon enough. Now if you wish to freshen up I will show you to your room." Pamela started walking up the stairs motioning for Sookie to follow.

They stopped in front of a door and when Pamela opened it Sookie thought that her new mistress was just showing her around the mansion and wondered where the maid's quarters were. "This is very beautiful. Is this your room Pamela?" Sookie asked in case she needed to serve her breakfast in the morning, she would know where to go.

"Not hardly, dear, this is your room." Pam smiled and started to giggle.

"You must be mistaken." Sookie looked at Pamela with questioning eyes.

"No, and quit questioning me. Now go and get ready for dinner and Mr. Northman will meet with you after you have cleaned up and eaten. Mr. Northman has requested that you wear the dress that I have set out for you and you will find the closet is filled with clothing for all occasions. The bathroom is attached and we do have running water. If you wish to bathe, please feel free." Pamela was completely in awe of Sookie's beauty and her childlike charm. "No wonder her master has been impossible these last three months. I do believe I fear if I tasted her blood I would also not want to feed from another. He has been so distant and only asks to feed from males without as much as an inkling of sexual activity. He is truly in love with this one."

The bath was wonderful. Sookie decided not to wash her long hair since she had done so last night when she curled it with rag rollers while it was still wet. Her long hair hung down to her waist in ringlets from the rags the next day. She rolled it up in a puffy bun during her trip this afternoon.

After her bath there was a knock at the door. Sookie answered it and a young woman dressed as a maid asked to enter. "I am Amelia your handmaiden. I am here to help you dress for the evening."

"I don't understand, but thank you for helping me tonight." Sookie told Amelia. "Perhaps after I meet with Mr. Northman he will explain. I am afraid there has been a misunderstanding, but I will enjoy my evening and when he discovers I am not who he believes me to be, I will be sent to the maid's quarters with Amelia. That will be fine with me, but it has been so long since I have enjoyed such extravagance, I need to feel this just one more time before I die." Sookie thought to herself.

The dress was a beautiful deep red taffeta gown. It had a fitted boned bodice with a low scooped neckline showing off Sookie's beautiful cleavage. The sleeves were shirred and off-the shoulder. The skirt was very full which accommodated the crinoline petticoat underneath. Sookie looked very beautiful as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. It had been so long that she had been able to dress up she did not recognize herself. Amelia helped her with her hair and make-up and placed a beautiful diamond necklace around her neck. "What is this for?" Sookie asked.

"The master instructed that you be presented this as a special welcome gift." Amelia answered her.

"There really must be a mistake. This man must have her confused with some other woman, because she is no longer a woman of class, she is only a servant. Why on earth would he treat her so kindly? I really need to get to the bottom of this, before I am sent away from this home out into the streets." Sookie thought to herself.

She was ready and felt like a princess. Whoever this Mr. Northman was, he sure knew how to make a woman feel beautiful. She found herself anxious about meeting him. Dinner was lovely, but lonely. She was served a beautiful chicken dinner which the maid said was Chicken A'La King, but no one else sat at the large table with her. She finished her dinner and was escorted into a very large library with so many books Sookie couldn't believe her eyes. She was in heaven! Perhaps Mr. Northman would allow her to borrow some of the books as she looked with reverence at the bounty before her. She waited just a few minutes when the door opened and apparently Mr. Northman entered.

She turned from the books and to her surprise the elusive Mr. Northman looked just like her ghost from the ship. "How could this be? Perhaps she had dreamed everything and her subconscious had been experiencing the love and lovemaking." She began to hyperventilate.

Mr. Northman motioned for her to sit in a very comfortable leather chair and he sat across from her. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he was once again dressed in an elegant suit. He stared at her for a moment and his eyes were definitely Eric's. His mouth that pleasured her opened to say, "Welcome to my home Miss Stackhouse. Your previous employer has recommended you to me and I want you to feel comfortable here. I am sure you have many questions for me about your responsibilities, so please feel free to ask."

"I'm afraid there has been a mistake. . Er. . .Mr. Northman. I really would love to stay here, but I am just a poor English girl and cannot possibly see what I can do for you. Also, please excuse me for asking, but what is your given name?" Sookie had to know. This man was so much like her Eric. Her heart was pounding and her breathing began to become shallow. She feared that she would lose consciousness, but she needed to know.

Thinking that his glamour had worked on his Sookie, Eric thought it would not affect her to tell her his name. She could not possibly remember him. However, she was acting so strange, so nervous. Perhaps she was feeling his excitement at her presence. He had missed her more than he could have possibly known. He had become addicted to her blood that night and right now he wanted nothing more than to taste her again.

"Certainly. My given name is Eric." Eric spoke softly just as he had on the ship.

Sookie became so excited that the only thing she could do was faint. And she did. When she woke up Eric was holding her, staring into her eyes. He was so scared that he had upset her and made her ill. It had been so long that he had been this close to a human in an emotional way, he could feel her pain and it bothered him.

She was still drowsy when she came to and she saw her beautiful Eric just inches from her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her lips to his. "Oh Eric, I love you so much. Thank you for coming back to me. I was going to take my own life just so I could be with you. I don't care what you are. I want to spend my life with you and you alone." Sookie spoke with so much passion.

Eric gave into the embrace and said," I love you to little one. I am sorry I left you, but I thought you would not understand my life and you would be happier with humans. I have been miserable without you and when I heard Mr. De Castro speaking of how he wanted to make you his mistress, I knew I had to take you from that home. Will you forgive me and take pity on me. Will you take a chance on us?" Eric peppered her with kisses as she tilted her neck for him to drink "I guess my glamour did not work on you, because you apparently remember our time together." He laughed.

"I remember everything! What the hell is glamour?" She giggled. "I will most certainly give us a chance."

**A/N: Next chapter will be Sookie getting to know the real Eric Northman.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: For those of you who chose to read this short fic, thank you. There were many places I could have gone with these two, but decided to write an Epilogue so hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter 3: Epilogue**

**Eric:**

**-2010—Shreveport, Louisiana—Fangtasia-"Christmas Eve"**

**Five years after the "Great Reveal"**

Anniversaries come and go and since I remember everything that has ever happened in my lifetime with full clarity, I choose to remember my time with Sookie. Our 1890 "Love Boat" encounter anniversary is coming up and I will pause at the exact moment my lover became mine. She was so sweet and innocent and on the other hand her intelligence and strength is what drew me to her. She was not afraid of me and she told me she loved me. I myself had actually fallen deeply in love with her the first moment our eyes met on the promenade deck that first night. I know….very strange for me too, but it happened.

Christmas is not my favorite holiday, but Sookie loved it so much she basically forced me to follow the traditions. At first they were quite innocent, but eventually dollar signs replaced the traditions and Christmas became so commercialized, even Sookie would not have recognized it. I feel that if she would have been able to have children, the process would have been more enjoyable, but she chose to love me so that never happened. Instead of buying extravagant gifts for children I showered Sookie with everything her heart desired. She was like a child each time she opened a gift and being the "pussy" in love that I was I would join in her happiness with bloody tears in my eyes. Our life was amazing!

Our early life together consisted of travelling throughout the United States. Travelling cross country in those days took many weeks by train. Just as I have a private jet today, Sookie and I had a luxury Pullman railcar designed to our specifications. The company never questioned the need for light tight windows and since money was no object we always travelled in style.

In 1904 we found ourselves in Santa Cruz, California. I had investments in just about everything so we decided to stay at one of the hotels my company invested in. It was called the Sea Beach Hotel and it was right across the street from the Neptune Casino, the Natadatorium and Pleasure Pier. Today it is known as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and I invested heavily in that particular piece of property after 1912, as an investing member of the Santa Cruz Seaside Company.

From Santa Cruz we spent two years in San Francisco where by the grace of the Gods we left before the devastating 1906 Earthquake. The Vampire Queen of Louisiana had sent a telegram to our hotel two days before and her urgent need to meet with me actually saved our lives. If the earthquake hadn't killed us, the fires that occurred afterwards certainly would have.

Yes I have lived over 1,000 years and had never truly been in love. Even my human wife did not bring me as much pleasure as Sookie. I believe that we were destined to meet on the ship over 100 years ago because she is my mate. Call it soulmate, lifemate, whatever, she was to be mine and mine alone. Even Pam fell in love with her and protected her with her own life many times.

Pam and I invested in a few nightclubs and restaurants through the years, but after the "Great Reveal" when vampires were finally allowed to mainstream legally, we began to really prosper. I had been know as a businessman for over a hundred years before the "Reveal" and many of my human partners, were definitely shocked to find that I was a creature of the night.

Our favorite bar is called "Fangtasia" and we always have a very enjoyable Christmas Eve Party in Sookie's honor. Food is always plentiful for humans and vampires alike; however, I have never enjoyed a meal since my Lover. Her blood was so rich and addictive that to this day, I have not been able to find another human to feed from that could even compare.

One very sad Christmas Eve Sookie and I had just purchased a shiny new 1910 Ford Model T. Of course I was an amazing driver and to this day enjoy speeding through the night in my red Corvette, but Sookie insisted on driving. The snow had just begun to fall and because Sookie had changed her life schedule to be with me every evening; black ice had formed on the crude roadways. The automobile hit a patch of it and flipped many times. Sookie was thrown from the car and was buried by the snow. She was dying right in front of my eyes and I had to make a decision. We never discussed changing her and frankly I loved her as a human. I was addicted to her blood and my love for her as a human made me feel like a human again. I must have wasted too my time deciding what to do because her heart ceased to beat. I began to scream and cry and swore to myself I would stay with her until the sun rose so we could be together in death.

Life without Sookie was not an option, so I held her in my arms as I wept bloody tears. The snow was full of Sookie's blood and it reminded me of a snow cone. As I began to laugh about the irony of our deaths…I heard her heartbeat begin again. Now I needed to decide what to do. I had already made my decision about meeting the Sun and now what if I died and she lived? I could no longer leave her alone in the world as I could not live without her in the world...

Now it's Christmas Eve 2010 and all I can think about is my Lover. I prepare myself to make an entrance into the party that has already begun without me. There is no party as far as I am concerned without my Lover. There is no life without my Lover and as I round the corner of the long hallway I get that feeling. It grows stronger every day just as our love grows stronger every day. Like I said, I could not live without her and I would not allow her to be on this earth without me. I made the right decision and she has not let me regret it.

One thing about my Lover, is that she has been able to change with the times and every dress style has suited her just fine. Tonight, however, this particular dress shows the world her immense beauty. The breasts that comfort me as we die each day are spilling out of her very low cut red dress. Her long legs are enhanced by the "fuck me heels" that make me want to do just that. Her long, blond hair is now free to hang down her back in all its glory. Because of her beauty when she became Vampire, her face never requires make-up. Her skin is soft and silky and the first thing I must do is touch it. The vermin in this bar know that Sookie is my wife and even though we both feed from them, Sookie is the only woman in this world that I will ever make love to. It is all understood and our lives couldn't be happier. In my 1,000 years as Vampire, I have never come across a human or vampire as beautiful as my Sookie.

She woke three nights after our Christmas Eve tragedy and I will never forget how we made love. I had always been holding back for fear I would damage her. That night, after she realized what I had done to her, she took me in her arms and we made love all night. "Thank you Eric. Even though it had never been a topic of conversation, I have secretly wanted you to change me before I became so old that you would trade me in for a newer model!" Sookie giggled as she had no bad feelings about what I had done. Now we were not only bonded Lovers, we were Vampire Lovers who will live together forever.

Pam, Sookie and I are like the Three Musketeers. We have conquered the world together now for over 100 years and our future looks very bright. It almost seems like a Fairytale because I know in my undead heart that Sookie and I will live…_happily ever after._

_**The End**_

**A/N: I'm sorry that this is so short, but I wanted to end it and not leave the two of them hanging in Eric's library forever. Happy Holidays! Reviews are most welcome. I'm sure that many of you never read this fic when I first published it, so thank you in advance for taking a chance now. **


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